Loose leaf binder



March 12, 1935. A. G. LoTTER LOOSE LEAF BINDER Original Filed March 2, 1955 Patented Mar.` 12, 1935 Y LoosE LEAF BINDER f Adolph o.; Letter, Milwaukee, Wis., assigner to'.

`Stationers Loose Leaf Company, Milwaukee, Wis., 'a corporation of Wisconsin v Original application March 2, 1933, SerialNo.`

659,252. Divided and this application April 9,` 1934, Serial No.719,682 f- 4 Claims. (Cl. 12S-12),'

, This invention relates to certain new and'useful improvements in loose leaf binders and refers more particularly to loose leaf binders'of the typeyin which a body of 'leaves'k is clamped' between two binder heads to rwhich the coversV of the binder are hingedly connected, and is a division of my Aapplication forl United States Letters Patent, Serial No; 659,252, led March 2, 19,33.`

It is a general object of this invention to provide a binder head locking mechanism so constructed as to exert an 4equalized gripping pressure on the binder posts despite inaccuracies caused by production factors, in Alocation of the locking means and variationsyin post diameter,y and also compensate for. thewearsuch mecha# nism is subjected to.

A further object of this invention is to provide a'locking mechanism of the character'described,

` scribed which is of simple construction compris-'- ing'but a few readily assembled parts.

` With the above and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in'the novel construction, combi'- nation and arrangement of parts substantially as'hereinafter described and more uparticularly dened by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in 'the precise embodiment ofthe vherein disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope ofthe claims.v

In the accompanying drawing, I have Villustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention constructed according tothe best mode I have so fardevised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front view of a' loose leaf binder of the character described with parts broken away and in section to illustrate structural details;

Figure 2 is atop View of the binder with parts broken away and in section;`

Figure 3 is a cross section view taken through the upper binder head on the plane of the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Referring now more particularly to the` accompanying drawing in which like numerals indicate like parts, the numerals 5 and 6 designate lower and upper binder heads respectively beebieetof this invention is tween which Aa stack vcn.V loose leaves 7 is adapted' to be clamped. The lower binder` head 5has a pair of upright posts 8 attached thereto on which the leaves are impaled `in the, customary manner,`

the posts 8 preferably being sectional to permit increasing their lengthffto compensate' for addi.-y tional leave's. The binder heads 5 and 6 are of generally oblongjtuloular cross section, and as illustrated, are each rolled from a single length'- of sheet metal with thel seam of their meetingjed'gesfacing inwardly toward the covers 9, only one being shown.

The covers are hingedly mounted on-rcds9' whosev opposite ends are-fixed in tubular units 1Q secured tothe ends of the binder heads. The units 10 have f projectingjnoses 11 to which the vhinge rodsV are attached and spaced parallelflanges 12fad`apted to be receivedbetween the upper and lower walls` ofthe binderheads where they are secured by the rivets '13.' y I 'f At one end of the binder head 6 a nutmember 14 is secured by the rivets 13.k A pressure applying screw 15 is threaded in thenut member to afford actuating means for the locking mechanism. 'I'he pressure applying screw has a` squared outer end 16, with which an actuating head 17, is nonrotatably engaged. 'I he actuating head l'l'has a reduced shank 18 which passes through an opening in the outerwall of the tubular member 1O-andv anenlarged-knurled head 19.

Asstated the binder posts 8 are fixed to the lower binder head in any suitable manner, as by being threaded into bushings 20 fixed thereto,` andthe upper ends ofl the posts arefreely ref ceived in *and passed through aligned openings 21 in the top and bottom walls'22 and 23 respectively of the upper binder head 6.

'Ihe openings 21 are suiiiciently large to loosely vreceive the posts and permit the upper binder head tobe forced down onto the stack'of leaves. In. this position, the binder head is adapted to: be secured bythe locking mechanism indicated generally by the numeral 24. Inasmuch as the location of the openings 21 through which the posts pass may be slightly disaligned with respect to the exact distance between the posts and as the posts and the post engaging elements of the locking mechanism are subject to wear, it is desirable that the looking mechanism be automatically equalized to compensate for such variation or wear. It is alsogdesirable that the equalization be effected without disturbing the parallel position of the posts, or in other words without jamming the posts toward each other or spreading them away from each other.

Cil

The locking mechanism 24 obtains the desired result. This mechanism comprises short post engaging levers 25 and 26, pivotally attached as at 2'7 and 28 respectively, to the bottom Wall 22 of the binder head adjacent the post receiving openings 21 so as to be engageable with the posts received therein.

Connected to the free end of the lever 25 is a long link extending past the other lever 26 and having its end attached to a cross bar 29. The free end of the lever 26 has a short link 30 connected thereto, whose opposite end is also pivotally connected to the cross bar 29.

The cross bar has an undercut opening 31 to receive the inner headed end 32 of the pressure screw 15, so that upon actuation of the screw, the cross bar will be moved longitudinally of the binder head to swing the post engaging levers 25 and 26 toward or away from the posts.

The linkage afforded by the cross bar and the links connected thereto forms an equalizing connection between the pressure applying screw and the post engaging levers to enable the application of equalized pressure on both posts. To`

illustrate, assume that as the pressure screw is actuated to push the levers toward the posts, the lever 26 engages its post iirst. Thereafter, inasmuch as the cross bar is free to rock with respect to the pressure screw, further actuation of the screw imparts motion to the other lever 25 until it also engages its respective post and then the continued actuation of the pressure screw will apply an equalizedpressure on both of the levers.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing it Will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains that a novel locking device for loose leaf binders which automatically equalizes itself and grips both posts with equal force is afforded, and that the locking mechanism has great leverage and thus provides a smooth easy action.

What I claim as my invention is:

1.. In a loose leaf binder including spaced posts, a.v binder head having openings to loosely receive the posts, a locking mechanism to secure the binder head to the posts comprising, levers pivotally mounted adjacent the openings to be engaged with the posts received therein upon movement of the free ends of the levers toward the same end. of the. binder head, linkage to connect the free ends of the levers in such manner that upon movement of the linkage in one direction an equalized force is exerted on the levers through the linkage to move the levers and clamp the posts against the peripheral edges of the binder head openings, and means to actuate said linkage.

2. In a loose leaf binder including spaced posts, a hollow binder head having openings to loosely receive the posts, locking mechanism to secure the binder head to the posts comprising, a lever attached to the binder head adjacent one of the openings to be engageable with the post received therein, a link movable longitudinally of the binder head and pivoted at one end to said lever, a bar pivoted to the other end of the link, a second link pivoted at one end-to the bar, a second lever having 'one end pivotally attached to the binder head adjacent the other opening to be engageable with the post received therein and having its other end pivoted to the free end of the second mentioned link, said levers clamping the posts against the peripheral edges of the openings inthe binder head with an equalized force upon movement of the levers in one direction, and means engageable with the bar to actuate said levers.

3. In a loose leaf binder including spaced posts, a hollow binder head having openings to loosely receive the posts, locking mechanism to secure the binder head to the posts comprising, a lever attached to the binder head adjacent one of th'e openings to be engageable with the post received therein, a link movable longitudinally of the binder head and pivoted at one end to said lever, a bar pivoted to the other. end of the link, a second link parallel to the first link and pivoted at one end tov the bar, a second lever having one end pivotally attached to the binder head adjacent the other opening to be engageable with the post received therein and its other end pivoted to the free end of the second mentioned link, and a screw threaded through one end of the binder head with its inner end engaging the bar to irnpart movement to the bar upon rotation of the screw, movement of the bar imparting an equalized force to each of the levers through said links to clamp the posts against the peripheral edges of the binder head openings.

4. In a loose leaf binder including spaced posts,

a hollow binder head having openings to loosely receive-the posts, and locking mechanism'to secure the binder head to the posts comprising leversA pivotally attached to the binder head adjacent the openings for swinging engagement with posts received therein, a long link connected to the free endv of one lever and extending longitudinally of the binder head past the other lever, a short link pivotally attached to the free end of said other lever, a cross bar connecting the free ends of said links, and a pressure screw having a freely rocking connection with the cross bar and a handle portion accessible from the adjacent end of the binder head, actuation of the pressure applying screw moving the cross bar longitudinally of the binder head to apply equalized pressure on bothlevers to clamp the posts against the peripheral edges of their respective openings.

ADOLPH G. LOTTER. 

